Li Mingwei did not want to make such malicious guesses about Xiao Gang. After all, he was usually quite obedient and sensible, but Wang Chunhua's words did make her feel some doubts.
Seeing her looking so dejected, Wang Chunhua said directly: "Anyway, don't worry about this. My father and mother are the ones in charge of the Wang family now, and they have everything to worry about. You don't have much money now anyway and can't manage so much."
Money, she still had some, it's just...
Li Mingwei glanced carefully at Wang Chunhua and decided not to continue. Sister was right, this was something the Wang family had to decide for themselves. There were a lot of people in the Wang family and complicated relationships. She might not have considered everything thoroughly. If they really started fighting over this, how would she handle herself?
As an outsider, she should not interfere in someone else’s family affairs.
Even so, when Xiao Gang came to deliver her the next morning, she still did not dare to meet his eyes. Wang Chunhua frowned. She’d better not go soft-hearted again later, little sister. She urged:
"No need to send us anymore. We have to hurry and go. The vegetables will wilt if we don't sell them soon."
"Alright, go ahead. Take care on the road."
Wang Chunhua said she was going to sell vegetables, and she meant it. To avoid villagers coming to send them off, they set off very early, before noon even after they arrived in town. They tied the vegetables into small bundles with grass from the roadside and started shouting out deals as they walked.
“Selling vegetables, selling vegetables, one coin per bundle. Eggs also one coin each. Just picked yesterday afternoon, nice and fresh."
"Auntie, want a bundle?"
"Picked just yesterday!"
She was only selling this one time, and she wasn’t afraid to offend anyone, so she purposefully tied them into bundles bigger than those sold at the market, and many acquaintances were happy to come take a look and grab a couple bundles.
They didn’t even go home first before pushing the cart straight to the vegetable market to grab a spot.
“Selling vegetables, selling eggs, all are one coin, all are one coin.”
Li Mingwei’s face was thin, and seeing all the familiar faces passing by, she really couldn’t bring herself to call out. She silently cheered herself on, remembering that she had gotten through fighting before, so what was there to fear now? She boldly stood up behind the cart, continuing to squat down while covering her face.
Wang Chunhua laughed heartily: “What are you doing, girl?”
"Sister~"
"Alright, alright." Wang Chunhua tidied up a basket of vegetables and eggs and handed them over with a key: "Go back first. Send these vegetables and eggs to Aunt Meng, thanks her for watching over little Yan’er these couple days."
"Okay."
She had just turned to leave when someone called out: "Teacher Li, you're selling vegetables instead of teaching now?"
Li Mingwei pulled up an awkward smile.
Wang Chunhua laughed: "Still teaching! How could she stop teaching? This whole cart was the thanks she received. There's too much for us to finish eating, so we're selling it."
"Oh my, so much! Teacher Li is still amazing."
"Of course! Want to grab a bundle?"
They were already at this point, of course the woman took a bundle. Her child used to study under Li Mingwei, so being polite was appropriate.
"By the way, when is Teacher Li returning to the schoolhouse? My child has been missing you this past month."
Li Mingwei thought for a moment: "Should be just these two days. I just got back and still have to tidy up."
"Great! I'll go back and tell my son. He'll be thrilled."
Li Mingwei suddenly felt burdened by the weight on her shoulders. She hesitated. If she went back for two or three months, then had to leave again, was that bad?
Should she just finish teaching out the year before leaving? But the roads get closed for winter and if she left after New Year...
No, no. Best to avoid Liu Yizhu and leave before the roads close. She could spend New Year in the county town and then decide where to go.
Having roughly planned this out in her heart, Li Mingwei secretly nodded. She would work hard to earn travel funds these days. Best to rely on herself as much as possible.
While Dong Shan was up in the mountains, Li Mingwei brought little Yan’er back when she delivered the vegetables to Aunt Meng's place. She carried little Yan’er to the kitchen to cook up some congee. By the time they came back from selling vegetables, there would be food to eat.
She didn’t know how to cook vegetables anyway.
"Then what do we do?"
Little Yan’er blinked at her but could not provide an answer. She was still little and couldn’t talk much yet.
"Oh well. Why am I asking you? Big Brother Wang worked hard delivering us back today. We ought to treat him to some nice things, right?"
Li Mingwei carried little Yan’er on her back and grabbed some money before heading out to the restaurant.
When Wang Chunhua and big brother came back from selling vegetables, they both fell silent seeing the table full of dishes. Right, today's work was all wasted.
"You..." Wang Chunhua couldn't bring herself to yell and just threw the money purse to Li Mingwei with some frustration: "Count for yourself and see if we even earned back what you just spent on one meal."
Li Mingwei...
She weighed it and smiled ingratiatingly: "Enough, it's enough. The boss gave me a discount."
Wang Chunhua rolled her eyes: "Like that could be much of a discount!"
"It was just a few dishes! Big brother worked hard bringing us back today, we have to treat him properly!"
Wang Dazhuang did not want to be caught in the crossfire and quickly waved his hands: "No need, no need, too polite, too polite."
Wang Chunhua glanced at her big brother. He had worked hard with her all day without even a sip of water. Better food was the least they could do. She reluctantly agreed: "Eat then. Can't return it anyway."
Li Mingwei quietly sat down and silently picked up her small bowl, not daring to further stoke the flames.
Seeing Wang Chunhua like this, Li Mingwei suddenly felt guilty. Her family background was good so she didn't care about such petty money, but Wang Chunhua could not.
Thinking her attitude before was not actually very good, Li Mingwei rummaged in her cabinet and took out an old tattered waistband from the very bottom. She used scissors to snip open the stitching and dug out a silver note folded up inside, then carefully restitched it.
Holding the silver note, she gently knocked on Wang Chunhua's door.
Seeing her act all sneaky like a thief, Wang Chunhua also lowered her voice: "What is it?"
Li Mingwei ushered her inside and closed the door before handing over the silver note: "Sister, for you."
Wang Chunhua curiously unfolded the tiny folded note, eyes going wide when she properly opened it, recognizing what it was though she could not read. Voice trembling, she asked: "How much is this?"
"One hundred taels." Li Mingwei apologized: "Sister, I don't mean to disregard you. Mainly I still have some money and don't see the need to budget so strictly. Keep this, just in case anything comes up later so you can use it. Don't worry over saving so much day-to-day."
"You..." Wang Chunhua felt like she was about to faint. "This is what you call having some money?"
"Mm." Li Mingwei nodded: "I still have a few more notes."
This time Wang Chunhua really did faint, and Li Mingwei was so startled she quickly steadied her: "Big brother, big brother, come quick! Something's wrong with sister!"
